Employee's Quality and Competence and Employee Education in the Township Enterprises of Small Towns in China : With Special Reference to Suncun and Guodian Townships near Jinan in Shandong Province

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to clarify employee competence with respect to township enterprises in Shandong Province located in the region of the Huang (Yellow) River Delta. The author delineates issues associated with employee education and improving the quality of workers for the development of the village and township enterprises. The research is based not only on a review of the relevant literature, but more importantly on interviews surveys recently conducted at township enterprises in Shadong Province. The author proposes solutions to some of the obstacles which hinder these township enterprises. Specifically, the following problems were identified. 1) In contrast to the past, a technically-skilled workforce will be required to meet the needs of township enterprises. 2) The structure of the township enterprise workforce is still based on a short-term contract system called "special seasonal labor", and this employment policy hinders the improvement of technology and technical skills. 3) The township enterprises are trouble with a shortage of quality managers, workers and technology. The source of this problem stems from factors affecting rural education and the processes by which the township enterprises were established. 4) It was found that since the township enterprises these days are competing with both large domestic corporations and with those from abroad, it is imperative that these township enterprises improve the quality of their products, technology, and personnel. 5) It was found that employee's education and training is in great need of improvement. In the future it is imperative that educational reforms and public sector budgetary spending will be tailored to meet the demands of township enterprises.